April 19 Iraqi police claimed they had liberated 30-40% of the
Old City. Newest map shows no changes in district. Bulge on left was recent
200m advance police made April 16, otherwise no movement in south for over
month now (Ninewa Media Center)
The Golden Division was still advancing in the center of
west Mosul. The Nasr
neighborhood was declared freed, and there was fighting in Haramat,
Siha,
and Tanak. The unit has been making steady progress in the middle and western
section of the city.
Yesterday
the Iraqi police claimed they had taken 30-40% of the Old City district in the
east along the Tigris River. Today the Ninewa Media Center released its daily
map of west Mosul and showed no progress has been made. April 16, the
Federal Police made a 200 meter surge in the flank of the district, but there
has been no movement in the south. The Iraqi forces often exaggerate about the
pace of the war, and this was another example.
Rebuilding Iraqi society and repairing the damage that the
Islamic State has done will be a long and difficult task. Reuters had a story
on suspicious murders going on in Qayara south of Mosul. Bodies have been
turning up in the Tigris River by the town. Some were blind folded pointing to
executions. The security forces claim it is the work of the Islamic State, but
residents are afraid they are revenge killings against those affiliated with IS.
Al-Quds Al-Arabi reported
that Christian militias in the Ninewa plains were stopping displaced families
from returning. One man was told his town was not safe yet. Others were warned
not to come back because they were IS sympathizers. Stars
and Stripes interviewed Ninewa Operations commander General Najm al-Jabouri
who believed reconstruction, jobs, re-education, and reconciliation were all
needed in Ninewa after Mosul is liberated. The insurgents have deeply upset the
fabric of Iraqi society. Without those wounds being healed they could continue to
fester and lead to future problems.
The provincial Ninewa police opened
its headquarters in east Mosul. This was another step towards the security
forces re-establishing themselves in the governorate.
Turkish President Recep
Erdogan decided to insert himself into the Mosul campaign once again. While
making statements against Iranian influence in the Middle East he accused
Tehran of expanding into Iraq using the Hashd, and that those forces threatened
the Turkmen people of Tal Afar. As could be expected, this led to a series of
harsh condemnations by Iraqi officials, and an official response from Baghdad.
Speaking of Tal Afar, Asaib Ahl Al-Haq’s Jawad Talabawi said
that because of international pressure blocking the Hashd from taking the town
those forces would now move west towards the Syrian border and take areas like
the Baaj district. Any Tal Afar operation has been put on hold until Mosul is
liberated. Part of that is because of Turkish objections to the Hashd being
involved. Moving west might be the best thing for them as they are doing little
in the Tal Afar district, and Baaj is a suspected base for IS elements that
fled Mosul.
SOURCES
Agence France Presse, “Iraq forces retake more areas in west
Mosul,” 4/20/17
Coles, Isabel, “As bodies wash up from the Tigris, some see
signs of score-settling,” Reuters, 4/20/17
Garland, Chad, “As Mosul offensive nears final stages, what
comes next may be more complex,” Stars and Stripes, 4/20/17
Hassan, Rawchi, “Security is fine, but we have no jobs, say
east Mosul residents,” Rudaw, 4/20/17
Al Jazeera, "Iraqi forces 'make further gains' against ISIL
in Mosul," 4/20/17
Al Masalah, “Erdogan attacks the popular crowd and accuses
Iran of forming a Persian power,” 4/20/17
Mostafa, Mohamed, "Iraqi forces recapture western Mosul
district, advance in others," Iraqi News, 4/20/17
- “Newspaper: Christian militias stonewall repatriation of
Nineveh refugees,” Iraqi News, 4/20/17
Mostafa, Nehal, “Iraqi troops retakes another district in
western Mosul,” Iraqi news, 4/20/17
Munoz, Carlo, “Unrelenting Islamic State fighters make
endgame in Mosul frustratingly tough and bloody,” Washington Times, 4/19/17
NINA, "Security Forces Enter Haramat Area Of Mosul's Right
Side," 4/19/17
Xinhua, “High water levels worsening humanitarian crisis in
Mosul, UN agency says,” 4/20/17
- “Iraqi forces free new neighborhood from IS militants in
western Mosul,” 4/20/17
Reuters, “Iraqi forces making new push toward Old City in
Mosul,” 4/16/17
Shafaaq News, “Ninewa police headquarters opened in Mosul,”
4/20/17
Al Sumaria, “Popular crowd leader: districts of Baaj, Hadari
and Kairoun are our next destination,” 4/20/17
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